About Us

About CraneWatch and our mission.

Why CraneWatch?

A series of crane-related construction accidents – including one on Sept. 4 at 600 West 42nd Street - has left New York City residents, workers and visitors scared and skeptical of the safety of many of the construction sites they pass every day on the streets of Manhattan. Revelations about unanswered 311 complaints, safety violations and the lack of adequate inspection and permitting has contributed to a need for timely information about crane safety.

But city inspectors can't do it alone. They need your help. That's why we, as concerned New Yorkers, have developed CraneWatch, an impartial, non-governmental Web site dedicated to monitoring the safety of New York City cranes and construction sites. Our site's mission is to make it easy for everyone to find cranes in their local area and to review safety-related information compiled from the Department of Buildings and other sources. Visitors can upload photos, post comments and, soon, add new crane listings to our system. A mobile application will be available shortly.

Using the Site

Getting information about a crane is easy on CraneWatch.com - just click the markers on the interactive map to see a summary, or click on the crane's address to see detailed information about it, including names and contact information for the site owner and construction manager. CraneWatch also has links to the NYC Department of Building's BIS (Building Information System), where you can see a ton of information on complaints, violations, permits, and more. You can read or leave comments about a crane, and even upload photos of new or existing cranes. Our upcoming Mobile Edition will make it possible to see status information and even report late-breaking news all from your mobile device.

Registered members get even more access - including the ability to see relationships among various construction-industry players.